Perhaps it’s a good thing the first fight between Chad Dawson and light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins ended in the second round amid controversy because now they, and their respective promoters, truly seem to dislike each other.

That means tonight’s rematch being televised by HBO from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City might actually be worth watching even though Hopkins is 47 and not the most exciting fighter these days.

Flash back to Oct. 15. The site is Staples Center, and Hopkins – then 46 – sets out to defend his title against the 29-year-old Dawson. There was lots of holding during the first two rounds.

Hopkins threw a punch in the second that missed, causing him to lean on Dawson, who lifted Hopkins with his shoulder and slammed him hard to the canvas and onto the apron. Hopkins, who sustained a shoulder injury, told the ringside physician he could continue with one arm, but the bout was halted.

Referee Pat Russell ruled there was no foul, and that Dawson had won by TKO and taken Hopkins’ title. The WBC reviewed the tape and the following week declared the bout a technical draw and restored Hopkins as champion. Then the California Athletic Commission overturned Russell’s decision and ruled the bout no contest.

Meanwhile, Dawson’s promoter, Gary Shaw, appealed to the WBC that Hopkins should have to give Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) a rematch. It agreed, and here we are. But people are not being nice.

Shaw has been very sarcastic.

“I’m just going to say that I never thought Hopkins was hurt,” Shaw said. “I still don’t believe Hopkins was ever hurt. We never heard anything about his rehabbing or anything else. My only fear is that Hopkins will not go through with the entire fight. That somewhere in this fight, after he’s getting a beating from Chad, he will find a way to get out of the fight.

“Chad is a much superior fighter, younger, stronger, more aggressive and eager, once and for all, to put the legend where he belongs, retired and into the Hall of Fame.”

Indeed, it’s been the feeling from the Dawson camp all along that Hopkins was not really injured, that he was trying to get out of a fight he was going to lose.

“I looked into Bernard’s eyes that night and Bernard did not want to be in the ring that night,” Dawson said. “He may tell you otherwise and Richard Schaefer may say otherwise, but I’m telling you, Bernard didn’t want to be in the ring that night.

“Maybe he undertrained and he underestimated me. Maybe he needed a little more time to get in a little better shape. Maybe that’s what he did by taking the rematch. He wanted to get in better shape than he came into that fight, but he didn’t have that fire that night.”

Shaw also said that the only reason this rematch is happening is because he asked for it at a WBC convention.

“They didn’t want the fight,” Shaw said. “They lobbied against the fight, but I won on the floor of the WBC convention. That’s why Hopkins is taking it, because without the belt, Hopkins is just an old fighter. So he needs that belt to be someone.”

The aforementioned Schaefer is CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs). He scoffs at all this unsavory talk.

“This is ridiculous,” Schaefer said. “I was recently at Bernard’s house. Bernard has more belts than all the people have to hold up their pants. And so the fact is that Bernard at this point, at 47, 48 years old, doesn’t need any belts.

“He could have gone and fought (Beibut) Shumenov for the WBA belt. He could have gone and fought (Nathan) Cleverly, a showdown in the UK with huge crowds. I mean there were so many other options, but this is what Bernard Hopkins is.”

In other words, dare someone like Hopkins, and he’ll respond like the all-time great he is.

“I mean, this shows again the kind of fighter Bernard Hopkins is,” Schaefer said. “He never turns down a challenge.

“Everybody felt that he was going to not fight him again, and guess what? He always does the unexpected.

“He even surprises Gary Shaw and Chad Dawson. And if Gary thinks that the result of Bernard taking the fight is because of some silly ruling from the WBC, he is mistaken. And he knows that.”

Schaefer is right. It’s doubtful Hopkins cares a lot about any belt at this point. Interestingly, he hasn’t said much about all the pot-shots Dawson and Shaw have taken at him. Hopkins was told of Shaw’s comments about him being forced to take this fight. His retort, when asked why he did, was brief.

“Because I’m a legend,” Hopkins said.

But he is 47, and Dawson is still just 29. Then again, Hopkins has been counted out before. And he’s always risen just when his career has appeared finally dead. And him being relatively quiet about all Dawson and Shaw are saying can mean only one thing: this proud fighter is angry.

“April 28th is the only thing I want to say, the only thing I want to show, and you’re going to see it,” Hopkins said.

“You’re going to want to come up and shake my hand and tell me how great I am.”

Both fights figure to do well on pay-per-view. But Mayweather and Pacquiao are not going to be fighting much longer. Even if they eventually fight each other, neither figures to be around more than a couple more years.

When they retire, there will be a huge void, from both a popularity as well as a monetary standpoint.

Introducing Austin “No Doubt” Trout, a junior middleweight world champion from Las Cruces, N.M. He wants to be the one everyone is talking about when Mayweather and Pacquiao leave.

Trout (24-0, 14 KOs) on Monday was part of a Los Angeles news conference announcing a June 2 card at Home Depot Center (on Showtime). Potential Hall of Fame fighters Antonio Tarver and Winky Wright will be in separate bouts on the Golden Boy Promotions card, but the 26-year-old Trout is looking to steal the show when he defends his belt against Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KOs) of the Dominican Republic.

Trout spoke in respectful, yet confident tones when asked to talk about his career, which to now has been under the radar.

“Austin Trout is a very exciting fighter,” Trout said. “Don’t let the smile fool you; I’m always smiling. But in the ring it’s all business. I’m a good boxer, but I don’t run. I like to watch Roberto Duran tapes because a lot of people think he’s a banger, but really, he was a beautiful boxer.

“And I can punch. I may not knock you out with one, but I’m going to hit you with five of them and I don’t know any man that could take five good shots from me.”

Trout’s goals are lofty.

“Fame and fortune, of course, is always great,” Trout said. “But my big thing is I want to be a legend. Not just in my weight class, I want to get the pound-for-pound title, I want to get the greatest of all-time title, the Hall of Fame.”

His trainer, Louie Burke, says he believes he can do some of that.

“He has a ton of potential,” Burke said. “He’s an intelligent young man. He speaks well, he fights well. He learns quick and he has a heart of a lion and he has a great work ethic. All that, I think, will all pan out into great longevity and him putting a mark into the sport.”

Etc.

University of Texas System chancellor Francisco Cigarroa reversed a decision to prevent a middleweight title fight between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Andy Lee from being held June 16 at the Sun Bowl on the campus of UTEP, the Associated Press reported. Cigarroa had heard that warring Mexican drug cartels would be attending, and said the security risk was too high. He relented after pressure from local officials, but said that state, local and federal law enforcement agencies must guarantee they can handle security. Another condition is that no alcohol be served. … Roman “El Chocolatito” Gonzalez (31-0, 26 KOs) of Nicaragua tonight will defend his light flyweight world title against Ramon Garcia (16-3-1, 9 KOs) of Mexico at the Fairplex in Pomona (on Azteca America). … The third episode of HBO’s 24/7: Mayweather/Cotto will air tonight at 9:45. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26 KOs) and Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs) will square off next Saturday for Cotto’s junior middleweight belt (on pay-per-view). The final episode will be televised at 8 p.m. Friday.